As science fiction literature, Frank Herbert's Dune remains a cherished classic, but as a movie adaptation, it's a more mixed affair. Released in 1984 and featuring actors like Kyle MacLachlan and Patrick Stewart, David Lynch's Dune was met with mostly negative reviews, but in the decades since has gathered a cult following. Now director Denis Villeneuve is turning his attention to filming a Dune reboot for a new generation, but don't expect this version to take any cues from what Lynch created more than three decades ago. That's because Villeneuve is hoping to give audiences a Dune movie that's more in line with what he envisioned in his younger years. Villeneuve said the following:
David Lynch did an adaptation in the '80s that has some very strong qualities, I mean David Lynch is one of the best filmmakers alive, I have massive respect for him. But when I saw his adaptation I was impressed, but it was not what I had dreamed of, so I'm trying to make the adaptation of my dreams.
To say that David Lynch's Dune was weird wouldn't be saying much, as most of the director's movies and other projects rest comfortably in bizarre territory. Nevertheless, while this adaptation does have its share of fans, the point of a good reboot is to stand effectively on its own while staying relatively faithful to the primary source material. So just like how director Andres Muschietti looked to Stephen King's original IT novel for his theatrical adaptation of the horror tale rather than the 1990 Tim Curry-led miniseries, Denis Villeneuve will be turning to Frank Herbert's original 1965 novel as his main source of inspiration for the reboot. He continued in his interview with Yahoo:
It will not have any link with the David Lynch movie. I'm going back to the book, and going to the images that came out when I read it.
Although David Lynch's Dune remains the most prominent adaptation of this story, it isn't the only time Dune been translated into live action. Back in 2000, the then-Sci-Fi Channel released the Frank Herbert's Dune miniseries, which was followed in 2003 by Frank Herbert's Children of Dune, which melded the Dune Messiah and Children of Dune novels into one narrative. Although these miniseries were met with positive reception, because Denis Villeneuve is on a critical hot streak thanks to Sicario, Arrival and Blade Runner 2049, his Dune reboot will ideally be something that can be enjoyed by longtime Dune fans and casual moviegoers, as well as potentially overtake the David Lynch movie as the definitive adaptation of this story.
The Dune reboot doesn't have a release date yet, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for that information and other updates. Denis Villeneuve's Blade Runner 2049 is still playing in theaters, and check out our 2018 premiere guide to see what other cinematic offerings next year will bring.
